A second promotion place goes to the winner of a play-off involving the teams finishing in second to seventh place (expanded from four to six teams in the 2017–18 season).

[3] The National League South was reduced to 21 clubs for 2020–21[4] and was expected to expand to 24 teams in 2021–22.

[5][6] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, the 2020–21 National League South season was curtailed and voided after written resolutions were put to a vote.

[7] Expansion would be implemented before the 2022–23 season, when the bottom club was relegated and four were promoted from Step 3.

The third place was decided in a Playoff at Stoke City's Britannia Stadium, which Eastbourne lost 2–1 to the Conference North playoff winners, Altrincham.