James Styles (3 July 1841 – 4 February 1913) was a contractor, civil engineer and politician in Victoria, Australia.

[1] Born in Croydon, Surrey,[1] Styles migrated to Australia in 1849 with his family, where he was educated at private schools in Melbourne.

Styles was the council's representative on the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works and applied unsuccessfully for the position of chairman in 1891.

[3] At the 1903 Senate election he again finished fourth and so filled the vacancy due to the death of Sir Frederick Sargood.

[4] He stood again at the 1906 senate election but was defeated, finishing fifth, part of the decline of the Protectionist Party in Victoria.