 The ninth and final season of the American television comedy The Office premiered on NBC on September 20 , 2012 , and concluded on May 16 , 2013 , consisting of 25 episodes . The Office is an American adaptation of the British comedy series of the same name , and is presented in a mockumentary format , portraying the daily lives of office employees in the Scranton , Pennsylvania branch of the fictitious Dunder Mifflin Paper Company . The ninth season of The Office aired on Thursdays at 9 : 00 p.m. ( Eastern ) in the United States , as part of the Comedy Night Done Right television block . This is the second season not to star Steve Carell as lead character Michael Scott , although he returned for a cameo appearance in the series finale . 
