hyphen and then the license plate serial number. For example, the case of the license plate issued in Fernando de la Mora: C 11–3726. (Being "C" the category of the vehicle, "11" the department number by order -in this case corresponding to the Central department-, and 3726 the serial of the lock). This departmental number format was used until 1979, as was vehicle categorization. System A 123456 (by department) Between 1980 and 1982 the license plates for the interior returned to the blue background, to change again to the white background with red inscriptions in 1983, until today. Until 1981 only numbers were used in the license plate serial number. From the years 1982 (1983 already with red characters and a white background), until almost the end of the year 2000, the latest format of the municipal plates was used, in which the interior license plates had a "letter" at the beginning, followed by several numbers (serial). The letters stood for the departments the badges were issued from:. A – Conception B – Saint Peter C – Mountain Range D – Guaira E – Caaguazu F – Caazapa G – Itapua H – Missions I – Paraguayan J – Upper Parana K – Center L – Ñeembucú M – Amambay N – Canindeyu Q – President Hayes R – Upper Paraguay S – Chaco -used since 1992, equivalent to the current Boquerón- T – Nueva Asunción -used until 1992– U – Anchovy -used until 1992– National License Plates (2000–2019; in force) Background To put an end to the business of "mau" cars (smuggling) -under pressure from its Mercosur partners-, and unify at the national level in a single system the vehicles registered in the country, since previously was registered by each municipality, in the 1990s a new, safer and more permanent patenting system began to be projected (until the end of the vehicle's useful life). Also taking into account that the Paraguayan vehicle fleet was increasing, since at the end of the 20th century there were around 500,000 vehicles registered at that time out of a total of 5,000,000 inhabitants; During the presidency of Juan Carlos Wasmosy, Law No. 608/95 came to light, creating the "Automotive Registration and Identification System", which came into effect at the end of the 1990s. re-registration began only at the end of the year 2000, after several postponements, and lasted until approximately two years later.