| Country: | Mauritania |
| Flag Year: | 1959 |
| Previous Election: | 1992 |
| Next Election: | 2001 |
| Election Date: | 11 October 1996 (first round) |
| Seats For Election: | All 79 seats in the National Assembly |
| Majority Seats: | 40 |
| Turnout: | 52.06% (13.20pp) |
| Nopercentage: | yes |
| Party1: | Democratic and Social Republican Party |
| Leader1: | Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya |
| Seats1: | 70 |
| Last Election1: | 67 |
| Party2: | AC |
| Leader2: | Messaoud Ould Boulkheir |
| Seats2: | 1 |
| Last Election2: | New |
| Party3: | Rally for Democracy and Unity |
| Leader3: | Ahmed Ould Sidi Baba |
| Seats3: | 1 |
| Last Election3: | 1 |
| Party4: | Independents |
| Leader4: | – |
| Seats4: | 7 |
| Last Election4: | 10 |
| Prime Minister | |
| Posttitle: | Prime Minister-designate |
| Before Election: | Cheikh El Avia Ould Mohamed Khouna |
| Before Party: | PRDS |
| After Election: | Cheikh El Avia Ould Mohamed Khouna |
| After Party: | PRDS |
Parliamentary elections were held in Mauritania on 11 October 1996, with a second round in 16 of the 79 constituencies on 18 October. After the ruling Democratic and Social Republican Party (PRDS) won 60 of the 63 seats decided in the first round, the opposition Union of Democratic Forces boycotted the second round, resulting in the PRDS winning a total of 70 seats.[1] Voter turnout was 52.1%,[2] and only around 30% in Nouakchott.[3]