Licenses are not required beyond limits
offshore. For example, fishing licenses in
Florida are not required beyond three miles
offshore on the Atlantic Coast and beyond nine miles offshore on the
Gulf Coast.
Florida fishing licenses for Florida State waters can be purchased at just about any place that sells fishing
gear or bait. Also, Florida does not require a
license for those under 16 or 65 and older. I can't tell you of other states, but they all have limited distance offshore requirements,- maybe all at 3 miles for ocean coasts.