The 1996–97 Divizia D was the 55th season of the Liga IV, the fourth tier of the Romanian football league system. The champions of each county association play against one from a neighboring county in a promotion play-off match played on a neutral venue. A special table was made and teams with the best 16 results were promoted to the third league.
Source: [3] Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated Notes:
Source: [5] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated Notes:
^Victoria Leu withdrew during the season and all its results were canceled.
Relegation play-off
The 15th and 16th-placed teams of the Divizia D faces the 2nd placed teams from the two series of Dolj County Championship.
The matches was played on 7 June 1997 at Armata Ground in Craiova and Amărăștii de Jos.[8]
Source: [16] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated Notes:
^"Rezultatele etapei a 38-a (ultima)" [Results of the 38th round (last)] (PDF). Adevărul de Arad. 2 June 1997. p. 8. Archived(PDF) from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2023 – via digital.bibliotecaarad.ro.(in Romanian)
^"Labdarúgó körkép" [Football map]. Bihari Napló. 3 June 1997. p. 4. Retrieved 9 November 2023 – via adt.arcanum.com.(in Hungarian)
^"Orgoliul "lemnarilor"" [The pride of the woodmen]. Timpul. 2 June 1997. p. 5. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023 – via adt.arcanum.com.(in Romanian)
^"Olimpia Gherla o învingătoare merituoasă" [Olimpia Gherla a meritorious winner] (PDF). Adevărul de Cluj. 6 June 1997. p. 12. Archived(PDF) from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2023 – via dspace.bcucluj.ro.(in Romanian)
^"Minerul Baraolt este noua campioană a județului" [Minerul Baraolt is the new champion of the county]. Cuvântul Nou. 30 May 1997. p. 8. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023 – via adt.arcanum.com.(in Romanian)
^""Valurile" Maglavitului și morcovul Belcinului" [The "waves" of Maglavit and the carrot of Belcin]. Cuvântul Libertății. 2 June 1997. p. 2. Retrieved 9 October 2023 – via adt.arcanum.com.(in Romanian)
^"Va juca oare ASA Rapid barajul?" [Will ASA Rapid play the playoffs?]. Adevărul Harghitei. 28 May 1997. p. 2. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023 – via adt.arcanum.com.(in Romanian)
^"Fotbal, Divizia C, ultima etapă" [Football, Divizia C, last round]. Ceahlăul. 4 June 1997. p. 2. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023 – via bibgtkneamt.ebibliophil.ro.(in Romanian)
^"Divizia C... "sub lupă"" [Divizia C... ”under the magnifying glass”]. Renașterea Bănățeană. 9 June 1997. p. 3. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023 – via adt.arcanum.com.(in Romanian)
^Iulian M. Meianu (2014). Editura Alma Mater, Sibiu (ed.). Pe urmele unei echipe pierdute - Forestierul Băbeni [On the footsteps of a lost team - Forestierul Băbeni]. p. 179. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2023.(in Romanian)