Nitrene-transfer reactions have been a powerful synthetic method for direct incorporation of nitrogen atoms into organic molecules. Discovery of novel nitrene-transfer reactions has been dominantly supported by not only the improvement in transition-metal catalysts but also by the employment of novel precursors of nitrenoids. Since the pioneering works utilizing organic azides or iminoiodinanes as practical synthetic tools for nitrogen-containing compounds were reported, a new approach using various N-heterocycles containing strain energy or a weak bond has emerged. In this review, we briefly summarize the history of nitrene-transfer chemistry from the viewpoint of its precursors. In particular, the use of N-heterocycles such as 2H-azirines, 1,4,2-dioxazol-5-ones, 1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-ones, isoxazol-5(4H)-ones, and isoxazoles are comprehensively described, showing the recent remarkable progress in this chemistry.