Glossary
What is Cost of Incarceration Fee (Pay-to-Stay)?
A fee some states and counties charge people for their own time in jail or prison, such as room and board or medical costs.
Pay-to-stay fees charge people for the cost of their own incarceration. They go by names like cost of care, cost of support, room and board, or cost of incarceration, and can include medical co-pays.
A June 2025 report listed by the Fines and Fees Justice Center found that 48 states and Washington, D.C. allow at least one kind of pay-to-stay fee. California and Illinois have repealed them in all categories. Where medical co-pays are allowed, they ranged from $0.50 to $13.55 per visit.
These fees may be taken from wages or a person's account, and unpaid amounts can become debt after release.
Read more
- The Cost of Supporting a Loved One in Prison, and How to Stretch Your Budget
- What Happens to Commissary Money When Someone Is Released?