I don’t think you get what I was saying. I’m not debating the definition of the word “fee.”

I’m saying that in most states in the USA, there’s often a fee for many things that can get gotten completely for free if you prove your income is low enough.

So I guess you could say you “pay a fee” of the extra time and hassle to prove your low income. But for something like a state ID, for instance, you can get one absolutely free (no money paid) if your income is low enough.