Federal vs state
Federal: OUPV from USCG (everything on this site). State: a separate fishing-guide license issued by the state's fish and wildlife department, typically required if you take any compensation as a fishing guide. The state license usually requires only an application + fee + sometimes a state-water knowledge exam — much lighter than the federal OUPV.
The key point for search: there is no separate "Florida captain's license" or per-state federal credential. The OUPV is a single federal credential that authorises charter work in every state, including Florida. A captain in Tampa and a captain in San Diego hold the identical USCG OUPV; only the optional state fishing-guide license differs.
How many passengers a charter can carry
The OUPV authorises up to six paying passengers on a vessel that is not inspected by the USCG. The six-passenger ceiling comes from 46 U.S.C. 8903, and 46 CFR 15.605 requires that an uninspected passenger vessel be under the direction and control of a credentialed OUPV operator. That six-pack limit is why most inshore and offshore fishing charters run the OUPV rather than a Master credential.
If the business needs seven or more paying anglers at once, the OUPV no longer covers it — that requires an inspected small passenger vessel (Subchapter T) and an appropriately endorsed Master.
Sea time for a charter OUPV
360 days of total sea service (4 hours counts as a day; 8 hours also counts as one day — you cannot log more than one day in any 24-hour period). 90 of those 360 days must fall within the last three years. For the Near-Coastal route, 90 of the 360 days must be on ocean or near-coastal waters. Days spent fishing your own boat, working as a mate, or running a friend's vessel can all count if you can document them — see the sea-time-requirements guide for how to log and prove service.
Inland or Near-Coastal: which route your charter needs
Charter trips that stay inside the COLREGS demarcation lines drawn in 33 CFR Part 80 — bays, sounds, the Intracoastal, the Great Lakes, and inland rivers — are covered by OUPV Inland, which is examined on the Inland Rules of the Road. Charters that run offshore (canyon, bluewater, reef trips beyond the demarcation line) need OUPV Near-Coastal, which extends authority to 100 nautical miles, requires the 90 ocean/near-coastal sea-time days, and is examined on the International Rules (COLREGs) that are enforced offshore. Pick the route that matches the farthest water you actually fish — Near-Coastal also covers everything Inland does, but it costs more sea time to qualify.
Bluewater and canyon trips
If your charter goes more than ~3 nm offshore, OUPV Near-Coastal is the right credential — it extends authority out to 100 nm and tests you on COLREGs (International Rules), which is what's enforced offshore.
Exam, medical, and screening
The OUPV written exam has four modules: Rules of the Road (Inland and/or International COLREGs depending on your route), Deck General, Deck Safety, and Navigation General. Most modules pass at 70%, but Rules of the Road carries a 90% pass mark and is the module charter applicants fail most often. Review the USCG captain's license exam format and practice-test guide before scheduling so you know the module split, pass marks, and retest rules.
Alongside the exam you need the CG-719K medical certificate, a CG-719P drug test, a TWIC card, and CPR/First Aid from a USCG-recognised provider.
What a charter OUPV costs
If you test directly at a USCG Regional Exam Center, the federal fees total $240 for an original OUPV: $100 evaluation, $95 examination, and $45 issuance. Add the CG-719K physical (~$80–200), the drug test (~$60), the TWIC card ($124), and CPR/First Aid ($60–100). Approved course providers bundle the exam and charge their own course fee, so compare the all-in course price against the REC fee path before enrolling.