Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland
| Current season or competition: 2024–25 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Formerly known as | Durham/Northumberland 3 |
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Inaugural season | 1987–88 |
| Number of teams | 11 |
| Country | England |
| Holders | Jarrovians (2024-25) |
| Most titles | Guisborough South Shields (4 titles) |
| Website | England RFU |
| Promotion to | Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland |
Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland, previously known as Durham/Northumberland 3, is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and is currently the basement league of club rugby in North East England. Any club in the north east wishing to join the rugby union club hierarchy must begin at the bottom so all new teams from the north east start in this division - although until 2005-06 there was relegation to the now defunct Durham/Northumberland 4. The champions and runner-up are promoted to Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland.
Each season two teams from Durham/Northumberland 3 are picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase (a national competition for clubs at levels 9-12) - one affiliated with the Durham County RFU, the other with the Northumberland RFU. Redcar won the league in 2020 with Seaham also promoted.
The division was split across two geographic areas (North & South) for the 2021–22 season as part of an RFU reorganisation of the Durham & Northumberland regional league. The experiment lasted just one season and the league was reunited in 2022-23.