The population of Puno received the title of villa (town) and head of the province of Paucarcolla on November 4, 1668, when it was granted by the viceroy of Peru Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro.

In 1776, the Indian townships of Carabaya, Lampa, Azángaro, and Paucarcolla and the government of Chucuito became part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.

At the end of the rebellion of Túpac Amaru II, and at the proposal of the viceroy Juan José de Vértiz y Salcedo and the superintendent Francisco de Paula Sanz [es] on December 31, 1783, the king created the intendancy of Puno, segregating the partidos from that of La Paz (or subdelegations) of: Chucuito, Lampa, Azángaro, Carabaya, and Paucarcolla.

A royal decree of February 1, 1796 incorporated the intendancy of Puno into the Viceroyalty of Peru,[4] passing the districts of Chucuito and Paucarcolla to the jurisdiction of the Real Audiencia of Cuzco.

[5] The decree of April 26, 1822 ordered that the new department of Puno elect 6 regular deputies and 3 substitutes for the first Congress of Peru, but it could not be carried out because the administration continued in royalist hands until after the battle of Ayacucho.