| Country: | Montserrat |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1991 Montserratian general election |
| Previous Year: | 1991 |
| Election Date: | 11 November 1996 |
| Next Election: | 2001 Montserratian general election |
| Next Year: | 2001 |
| Seats For Election: | All 7 seats in the Legislative Assembly |
| Majority Seats: | 4 |
| Party1: | PPA |
| Leaders Seat1: | Northwestern |
| Last Election1: | – |
| Seats1: | 2 |
| Seat Change1: | New |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,472 |
| Percentage1: | 35.0% |
| Swing1: | 35.0% |
| Party2: | MNR |
| Leaders Seat2: | Southern |
| Last Election2: | – |
| Seats2: | 2 |
| Seat Change2: | New |
| Popular Vote2: | 930 |
| Percentage2: | 22.1% |
| Swing2: | 22.1% |
| Party3: | NPP |
| Leaders Seat3: | Central |
| Last Election3: | 4 seats, 42.7% |
| Seats3: | 1 |
| Seat Change3: | 3 |
| Popular Vote3: | 809 |
| Percentage3: | 19.2% |
| Swing3: | 23.5% |
| Chief Minister | |
| Before Election: | Reuben Meade |
| Before Party: | NPP |
| Posttitle: | Subsequent Chief Minister |
| After Election: | Bertrand Osborne |
| After Party: | MNR |
General elections were held in Montserrat on 11 November 1996.[1] The result was a hung parliament, with no party holding more than two seats. Although the People's Progressive Alliance received the largest number of votes, Bertrand Osborne of the Movement for National Reconstruction became Chief Minister after forming a coalition government with the National Progressive Party (which had been the ruling party between 1991 and 1996) and an independent MP.
A total of 26 candidates contested the elections.[1] All three parties nominated seven candidates, with five independents also running.[1]