Electron energy-loss spectra (EELS) of SF{sub 6} have been recorded in the region of S 2{ital p}, S 2{ital s}, and F 1{ital s} excitation, using both dipole and nondipole electron-scattering conditions. Impact energies between 700 and 3200 eV and scattering angles between 0{degree} and 30{degree} were used. Relative to dipole EELS or photoabsorption, there are large intensity redistributions in both the S 2{ital p} and S 2{ital s} spectra under nondipole conditions. In contrast, the F 1{ital s} spectrum is essentially the same in near-dipole and nondipole scattering regimes. A higher-order electric multiple S 2{ital p} spectra feature is observed at 181 eV. It has an unusual multipeaked line shape whose components are more closely spaced than the typical 1.15-eV S 2{ital p} spin-orbit splitting. It is attributed to the overlap of several quadrupole-coupled states, which are likely associated with the [S 2{ital p}({ital t}{sub 1{ital u}}){sup {minus}1},{ital t}{sub 1{ital u}}] configuration. {ital Ab} {ital initio} self-consistent field calculations for various open-shell S 2{ital p} excited states are used to assist spectral assignments.