The 1995–96 Southern Football League season was the 93rd in the history of the league, an English football competition.
The Max Griggs-funded Rushden & Diamonds won the Premier Division and earned promotion to the Football Conference.
Ilkeston Town, Stafford Rangers and VS Rugby were relegated to the Midland and Southern Divisions, whilst Nuneaton Borough, Sittingbourne, King's Lynn and Ashford Town (Kent) were promoted to the Premier Division, the former two as champions.
In the Midland Division, the bottom two clubs, Bury Town and Bridgnorth Town, were relegated to level eight leagues.
Poole Town, who finished bottom of the Southern Division with just one point (from a 0–0 draw with Bashley) dropped two levels into the Hampshire League.