The 1996–97 Northern Counties East Football League season was the 15th in the history of Northern Counties East Football League, a football competition in England.
The Premier Division featured 18 clubs which competed in the previous season, along with two new clubs, promoted from Division One: Also, Maltby Miners Welfare changed name to Maltby Main.
Division One featured 14 clubs which competed in the previous season, along with one new club: