Land is a fundamental resource that sustains economic, social and environmental sustainability. In Ethiopia, rural landholders have historically faced tenure insecurity due to incomplete land records and reliance on oral boundary backgrounds. To address this, the government introduced a parcel-based rural cadaster system through the Second Level Land Certification (SLLC) program. However, its implementation and effectiveness remain uncertain in many regions. The objective of this study was to assess the rural cadaster implementation and its role to land transactions and land conflict management in West Belessa District, Amhara Region. A concurrent mixed-methods design was employed, integrating quantitative data from 277 rural households and 30 land administration experts with qualitative insights from interviews and focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, triangulated with qualitative findings. The study also reviewed various related literatures and reference as the secondary data. The results indicate that while the foundational components of the cadaster have been introduced, institutional challenges, including limited staffing, poor service delivery, and weak inter-agency coordination continue to delay its effectiveness. Technical deficiencies in boundary demarcation and data updating affect cadastral data accuracy. Although the legal framework exists, enforcement remains weak, and community legal awareness is limited. Community participation was also found to be minimal, largely due to misinformation and limited outreach. Nevertheless, the cadaster has contributed to improving land transaction transparency and reducing land disputes. Furthermore, findings suggest that while landholders generally perceive the system positively, awareness of its benefits and its impact on land use right practices remains moderate and uneven across the study area. In conclusion, the rural cadaster in West Belessa has placed on moderately effective system for sustained land governance. However, realizing its full potential requires institutional strengthening, technical upgrading, enhanced legal enforcement, and broader community engagement.