Richard Tufton, 5th Earl of Thanet (30 May 1640 or 1641 – 8 March 1684), styled The Honourable Richard Tufton until 1680, was an English nobleman.
Tufton was the third son of John Tufton, 2nd Earl of Thanet and Lady Margaret, daughter of Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset and Lady Anne Clifford. Through his father, he was a great-great-grandson of Lord Burghley. He sat as Member of Parliament for Appleby from 1679 to 1680, when he succeeded his elder brother John Tufton, 4th Earl of Thanet in the earldom and entered the House of Lords. He also inherited the office of High Sheriff of Westmorland (1680–1684).
Lord Thanet died unmarried in March 1684 and was succeeded in his titles by his younger brother, Thomas.