| Election Name: | 1987 West Dorset District Council election |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1986 West Dorset District Council election |
| Previous Year: | 1986 |
| Next Election: | 1991 West Dorset District Council election |
| Next Year: | 1991 |
| Seats For Election: | All 55 seats to West Dorset District Council |
| Majority Seats: | 28 |
| Image1: | Ind |
| Party1: | Independent politician |
| Seats Before1: | 29 |
| Seats1: | 23 |
| Seat Change1: | 6 |
| Popular Vote1: | 11,822 |
| Percentage1: | 26.1% |
| Party2: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Seats Before2: | 12 |
| Seats2: | 14 |
| Seat Change2: | 2 |
| Popular Vote2: | 12,155 |
| Percentage2: | 26.8% |
| Image3: | All |
| Party3: | SDP–Liberal Alliance |
| Seats Before3: | 9 |
| Seats3: | 13 |
| Seat Change3: | 4 |
| Popular Vote3: | 14,254 |
| Percentage3: | 31.4% |
| Image4: | Lab |
| Party4: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Seats Before4: | 2 |
| Seats4: | 3 |
| Seat Change4: | 1 |
| Popular Vote4: | 5,649 |
| Percentage4: | 12.5% |
| Image5: | IndC |
| Party5: | Independent Conservative |
| Seats Before5: | 3 |
| Seats5: | 2 |
| Seat Change5: | 1 |
| Popular Vote5: | 929 |
| Percentage5: | 2.0% |
| Council control | |
| Posttitle: | Council control after election |
| Before Election: | Independent |
| After Election: | No overall control |
The 1987 West Dorset District Council election was held on Thursday 7 May 1987 to elect councillors to West Dorset District Council in England. It took place on the same day as other district council elections in the United Kingdom. The entire council was up for election as West Dorset returned to whole councils elections, after previously having been elected in thirds.
The 1987 election saw the Independent councillors lose their majority they had held since the formation of the Council in 1974.