Ankle Monitor Cost by State: 50-State GPS Monitoring Fee Database (2026)

How much does an ankle monitor cost? It depends entirely on where you live. Our investigation of all 50 US states reveals GPS ankle monitor fees ranging from $0/day (Missouri, Vermont, New Jersey) to $40/day (Illinois) — creating a system where the cost of pretrial freedom or community supervision is dictated by geography rather than justice.

This is the most comprehensive publicly available database of electronic monitoring costs in America. Every data point is sourced from state statutes, county fee schedules, Department of Corrections contracts, and Freedom of Information Act documents. We update this resource quarterly.

How to use this page: Scroll to any state for its specific daily fee, who pays, statutory authority, and county-level variations. Use the summary charts below for national comparisons. Journalists, attorneys, researchers, and policymakers: cite freely under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 with a link to this page.

How Much Does an Ankle Monitor Cost Per Day?

The national average ankle monitor cost falls between $5 and $15 per day, but this average obscures extreme variation. Minnesota alone has a 20x range — from $1/day (Hennepin County) to $20/day (rural providers). California charges $5–$35/day depending on county but is the only state that explicitly prohibits charging pretrial defendants for GPS monitoring.

These fees do not include one-time installation charges ($0–$300) or equipment deposits ($0–$500) that many jurisdictions require upfront. For a full breakdown of total costs including monthly totals, see our ankle monitor cost guide.

What Determines Your Ankle Monitor Cost?

Four factors determine what you actually pay:

1. Your state’s statutory framework. Some states cap fees by law (Connecticut: $5/day; Oklahoma: $300/month). Others impose no limits, leaving pricing to counties or private vendors.
2. GPS vs. RF monitoring. GPS ankle monitors (which track real-time location) cost 2–3x more than RF monitors (which only detect presence at home). Georgia distinguishes clearly: GPS active $15/day, GPS passive $9.50/day, RF $4.50/day.
3. County-level decisions. Within the same state, fees can vary dramatically. Maryland ranges from $2/day (government-subsidized programs) to $15/day (private-vendor programs).
4. Ability-to-pay protections. At least 7 states (IL, KY, MO, NV, PA, MN, MA) require courts to consider a defendant’s ability to pay before imposing EM fees — though enforcement varies.

Who Pays for Ankle Monitor Costs?

In the American electronic monitoring system, the burden of payment falls overwhelmingly on the individual being monitored — even when they have not been convicted of any crime.

This creates what the Fines and Fees Justice Center calls a “pay-to-be-free” system: defendants who cannot afford bail must also pay for the electronic monitoring that substitutes for jail. Those who cannot pay the monitoring fees risk revocation — returning to jail not for a new crime, but for poverty.

Only 4 states have fully eliminated offender-paid EM: Missouri (fees eliminated in 2007), Vermont (government absorbs $28.78/day), New Jersey (2017 bail reform shifted costs to state), and Hawaii (government-funded at approximately $3.50/day — a 74:1 cost savings versus incarceration).

50-State Ankle Monitor Cost Comparison Table

The table below shows every state’s GPS ankle monitor daily fee range, who bears the cost, and the underlying fee model. Fees represent what individuals on electronic monitoring pay; government procurement costs (typically $1–$5/day) are noted where available.

Ankle Monitor Cost by State: Detailed Breakdown

Below is a state-by-state reference with statutory authority, county-level examples, installation fees, deposits, and special provisions. Data sources are cited individually for each state.

Alabama — $6–$12/day

GPS fee: $6–$12/day. RF fee: $3–$6/day. Installation: $0–$50. Deposit: $0–$200.

Who pays: Offender. Fee waivers available for indigent defendants at court discretion.

Statutory basis: Ala. Code § 15-13-5 (pretrial bail conditions); § 15-22-50 (post-sentencing community corrections).

County example: Mobile County pretrial: $8/day + $50 installation (FFJC 2022). Significant variation exists across Alabama’s 67 counties and 41 judicial circuits.

Alaska — $14/day

GPS fee: $14/day (DOC participant rate). Government procurement cost: RF $1.02–$2.03/day equipment + $0.67–$2.14/day monitoring; GPS $2.03–$4.17/day (Sentinel/Omnilink contract).

Who pays: Offender (DOC program). Federal pretrial programs are government-funded.

Statutory basis: AS 12.30.020 (pretrial bail conditions); AS 33.30.065 (community residential center).

Key finding: Alaska’s DOC contract with Sentinel Offender Services reveals the true cost of GPS monitoring equipment: $2.03–$4.17/day. The $14/day charged to participants represents a 3–7x markup over government procurement costs.

Arizona — Varies

GPS fee: Statute allows “daily fee not to exceed the department’s expenses.” No fixed published statewide rate.

Who pays: Offender (post-sentencing GPS for sex offenders).

Statutory basis: A.R.S. § 41-1604.08 (GPS monitoring for sex offenders — mandates GPS for dangerous crimes against children); § 13-3405 (home arrest).

Note: Arizona’s statute is notable for explicitly limiting fees to “department expenses” — a cost-recovery model rather than revenue-generation model. Maricopa County (Phoenix) operates the largest EM program.

Arkansas — Up to $15/day

GPS fee: Up to $15/day (statutory cap for sex offenders). General EM: offender pays full cost (no published statewide rate).

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: Ark. Code § 12-12-923 (GPS monitoring cost cap for sex offenders); § 16-93-1205 (community punishment — offender pays costs).

California — $5–$35/day

GPS fee: $5–$35/day (extreme county variation). RF fee: $2–$25/day.

Who pays: Mixed. California is the only state that explicitly prohibits charging pretrial defendants for GPS monitoring (Cal. Penal Code § 1269b). Post-conviction monitoring fees are authorized.

Statutory basis: Cal. Penal Code § 1269b (pretrial — fee PROHIBITED for pretrial EM); § 1203.016 (post-conviction EM authorization).

Key finding: California’s split model — prohibiting pretrial fees while allowing post-conviction fees — represents the strongest consumer protection in the country for pretrial defendants. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other major counties fully fund pretrial monitoring.

Colorado — $12/day

GPS fee: ~$12/day (La Plata County data). Rates vary significantly by county.

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: C.R.S. § 18-1.3-204 (intensive supervision probation); § 16-4-109 (pretrial release conditions).

Connecticut — Up to $5/day

GPS fee: Up to $5/day (statutory cap). Installation: $0 (covered by CSSD).

Who pays: Offender, with $5/day statutory cap — one of the lowest in the nation.

Statutory basis: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-30(d) (EM cost not to exceed $5/day).

Key finding: Connecticut’s $5/day statutory cap makes it one of the most affordable states for EM-supervised individuals. Court Services and Support Division (CSSD) administers the program statewide.

Delaware — $4.65/day

GPS fee: $4.65/day (most recently reported rate).

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: Del. Code tit. 11, § 4332 (home confinement).

Legal significance: Delaware’s EM fees were challenged in Doe v. Coupe, a civil rights lawsuit alleging that imposing GPS monitoring costs on sex offenders constituted an illegal tax. The case highlighted the constitutional tension between public safety monitoring and the financial burden on registrants.

Florida — $2–$15/day

GPS fee: $2–$15/day (extreme county variation). Installation: $0–$200. Deposit: $0–$500.

Who pays: Mixed — counties vary between offender-funded and government-subsidized models.

Statutory basis: Fla. Stat. § 948.11 (EM as condition of probation/community control).

County examples: Broward County: ~$3/day (government-subsidized). Leon County: $5–$15/day (private vendor). Rural panhandle counties: limited availability, typically $10+/day. Florida’s 67 counties each independently contract with EM providers, creating a patchwork of fees and access.

Georgia — $4.50–$15/day

GPS active: $15/day. GPS passive: $9.50/day. RF: $4.50/day. Installation: $50.

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: O.C.G.A. § 42-8-35.4 (EM cost assessment).

Key finding: Georgia provides unusually detailed, publicly available tiered pricing that distinguishes between GPS active tracking, GPS passive tracking, and RF monitoring — rare transparency that other states lack.

Hawaii — ~$3.50/day (Government-funded)

GPS fee: ~$3.50/day (government cost). Individual cost: $0 — government absorbs full expense.

Who pays: Government (state-funded).

Key finding: Hawaii’s government-funded EM program achieves a 74:1 cost ratio versus incarceration — the highest documented efficiency ratio nationally. With daily incarceration costs exceeding $260/day, GPS monitoring at ~$3.50/day represents extraordinary fiscal savings.

Idaho — $25/day

GPS fee: ~$25/day (Ada County). Installation: $100. Deposit: $200–$500.

Who pays: Offender. Ada County uses a sliding scale for payment.

Statutory basis: Idaho Code § 18-920A (stalking/DV GPS monitoring); § 19-2905 (pretrial release conditions).

Note: Idaho is among the most expensive states for EM. The combination of $25/day + $100 installation + deposit can mean $850+ in the first month.

Illinois — $10–$40/day

GPS fee: $10–$40/day (extreme county variation — among the widest range nationally). Installation: $0–$300.

Who pays: Offender. Important: Illinois mandates ability-to-pay consideration before imposing fees.

Statutory basis: 730 ILCS 5/5-8A-4.1 (EM costs — ability-to-pay mandate); 725 ILCS 5/110-10 (pretrial conditions).

Key finding: Illinois has the widest documented fee range in the country ($10–$40/day), reflecting enormous variation across its 102 counties. Despite having ability-to-pay protections on the books, enforcement is inconsistent. Cook County (Chicago) programs are generally on the lower end; suburban and rural counties often use private vendors charging $25–$40/day.

Indiana — $13–$18/day

GPS fee: $13–$18/day. Installation: Typically included. Statewide revenue: $39.7 million/year in EM fees.

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: IC 35-38-2.5 (home detention); IC 35-33-8 (pretrial release).

Key finding: Indiana’s Judicial Reentry Advisory Council (JRAC) publishes detailed annual EM reports — rare transparency. Their data reveals $39.7 million in annual EM fee revenue statewide, with 14,000+ individuals on active EM at any given time. Average daily population: 14,263 (2023 JRAC report).

Iowa — $10/day

GPS fee: ~$10/day. Important: Full prepayment required in some districts — 7-day minimum = $70 upfront.

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: Iowa Code § 904.703 (residential facility); § 811.1 (pretrial conditions).

Note: Iowa’s prepayment requirement creates an additional barrier — defendants must pay before monitoring begins, effectively functioning as a financial condition of release.

Kansas — $8–$14/day

GPS fee: $8–$14/day (charged to individual). Government procurement cost: $4.40–$5.50/day (Sedgwick County contract, 2025).

Who pays: Mixed — some counties subsidize, others charge full cost.

Statutory basis: K.S.A. § 21-6609 (EM as alternative sentencing); § 22-2802 (pretrial conditions).

Key finding: Sedgwick County’s 2025 EM procurement contract reveals government costs of $4.40/day (RF) to $5.50/day (GPS). When the same monitoring is resold to individuals at $8–$14/day, it demonstrates the 2–3x markup that characterizes the industry.

Kentucky — Varies

GPS fee: Varies by county. No published statewide rate schedule.

Who pays: Offender. Important: Kentucky mandates ability-to-pay consideration.

Statutory basis: KRS § 431.517 (pretrial release — ability-to-pay mandate); KRS § 532.200 (home incarceration).

Louisiana — Varies

GPS fee: Varies. Louisiana uses a provider-first model where private companies contract directly with courts.

Who pays: Offender. Private providers set rates with minimal regulatory oversight.

Statutory basis: La. C.Cr.P. art. 336 (pretrial conditions); La. R.S. 15:571.37 (EHD program).

Note: Louisiana’s provider-first model has been criticized by reform advocates as creating incentives for private companies to maximize revenue from EM participants.

Maine — ~$5.95/day

GPS fee: ~$5.95/day (court-determined). Installation: $15–$40.

Who pays: Offender (court-determined amount).

Statutory basis: Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 1261 (supervised community confinement — offender pays “actual cost of monitoring”).

Maryland — $2–$15/day

GPS fee: $2–$15/day (wide intra-state variation).

Who pays: Mixed — depends on county and program.

Statutory basis: Md. Code, Crim. Pro. § 5-213 (home detention); § 4-216.1 (pretrial conditions).

Key finding: Maryland exemplifies “justice by geography” — Montgomery County and Baltimore City have government-subsidized programs charging $2–$5/day, while rural Eastern Shore counties charge $10–$15/day through private vendors. Your ankle monitor cost depends more on your zip code than your case.

Massachusetts — $5.95/day (Usually Waived)

GPS fee: $5.95/day (statutory rate). In practice: Usually waived — the ELMO (Electronic Monitoring) program data shows the majority of participants receive fee waivers.

Who pays: Mixed. Despite fee authorization, Massachusetts operates as de facto government-funded for most participants.

Statutory basis: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 20B½ (EM program); no explicit pretrial or post-sentencing fee statute (unique nationally).

Key finding: Massachusetts has the paradox of mandatory fees that are routinely waived. ELMO data reveals that charging failure (inability to pay) is the #1 trigger for warrant issuance in the EM program — suggesting the fee system creates more enforcement problems than revenue.

Michigan — $6–$12/day

GPS fee: $6–$12/day (county-set rates). State oversight fee: Additional $4.17–$6/day to state DOC (for state-supervised cases).

Who pays: Mixed — Michigan has a dual-layer fee system: county provider fees + state supervision fees.

Statutory basis: MCL 791.236 (EM as parole condition); MCL 765.6b (pretrial conditions).

Key finding: Michigan’s dual-layer system means individuals can pay $10–$18/day total when county equipment fees and state supervision fees combine. This stacking is rarely disclosed upfront.

Minnesota — $0–$20/day

GPS fee: $0–$20/day (20x intra-state variation — the widest range per capita nationally).

Who pays: Mixed — Hennepin County (Minneapolis) provides EM at $1/day; rural counties charge $15–$20/day.

Statutory basis: Minn. Stat. § 631.425 (sentence to EM); § 629.72 (pretrial conditions).

Key finding: Minnesota has the most extreme intra-state variation — a 20x difference between its cheapest county ($1/day) and most expensive ($20/day). Whether you pay $30/month or $600/month depends entirely on which county courthouse processes your case.

Mississippi — Varies

GPS fee: Varies. Highly decentralized system with minimal public fee data.

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: Miss. Code § 47-5-1003 (house arrest); § 99-5-37 (pretrial conditions).

Missouri — $0/day (Fees Eliminated)

GPS fee: $0. Missouri eliminated all EM fees in October 2007.

Who pays: Government — fully state-funded since 2007.

Statutory basis: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 217.690 (conditional release — fee prohibition since 2007).

Key finding: Missouri is one of only 4 states where individuals on electronic monitoring pay nothing. The state’s decision to eliminate fees in 2007 predated the national bail reform movement by a decade. Program data shows no decrease in compliance rates after fee elimination.

Montana — $10–$15/day

GPS fee: $10–$15/day. Annual cap: $4,000/year — one of the few states with an explicit annual maximum.

Who pays: Offender (with annual cap and published rate schedule).

Statutory basis: MCA § 46-18-1002 (sex offender GPS monitoring — cost assessed to offender).

Key finding: Montana is among the most transparent states: published daily rates, an explicit $4,000/year cap, and clear statutory authorization. This transparency model is frequently cited by reform advocates as a best practice.

Nebraska — Varies

GPS fee: Varies — no published statewide rate schedule. County-administered.

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 29-2262.07 (GPS for sex offenders); § 24-1302 (drug court/EM).

Nevada — $10–$12/day

GPS fee: $10–$12/day. Installation: $100.

Who pays: Offender. Important: Nevada mandates ability-to-pay consideration.

Statutory basis: NRS § 211A.127 (residential confinement — ability-to-pay mandate); NRS § 178.484 (pretrial conditions).

New Hampshire — ~$21/day

GPS fee: ~$21/day (combined daily + weekly charges).

Who pays: Offender. Among the most expensive states.

Statutory basis: N.H. RSA § 597:2 (pretrial conditions); § 651:19 (home confinement).

New Jersey — $0 (Government-Funded)

GPS fee: $0 for pretrial monitoring. New Jersey eliminated EM fees as part of its landmark 2017 bail reform (Criminal Justice Reform Act).

Who pays: Government — 100% state-funded pretrial monitoring.

Statutory basis: N.J.S.A. § 2A:162-17 (pretrial services — no fee provision).

Key finding: New Jersey is the most prominent model of government-funded EM, but with a critical limitation: the state’s reform only covers pretrial monitoring. Post-conviction monitoring fees may still apply in some jurisdictions. The model is frequently cited in national bail reform discussions.

New Mexico — Varies

GPS fee: Varies. No explicit fee statute identified.

Who pays: Mixed — no clear statutory authority for either offender or government payment.

Statutory basis: NMSA § 31-3-2 (pretrial conditions — no explicit fee language); § 31-21-6 (parole conditions).

Note: New Mexico is among 7 states where we identified no explicit statutory authority for charging individuals for EM. This creates legal ambiguity — fees may be imposed at county discretion without clear state authorization.

New York — $4–$8/day

GPS fee: $4–$8/day (post-conviction). NYC pretrial: $0 (government-funded).

Who pays: Mixed — New York City funds pretrial EM through MOCJ; upstate counties charge offenders.

Statutory basis: N.Y. CPL § 530.60 (pretrial conditions); N.Y. Penal Law § 65.10 (sentence of probation — EM condition).

Key finding: New York City’s pretrial monitoring program — operated through the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) — is fully government-funded, creating a two-tier system within the same state. Defendants in NYC pay $0; defendants in Albany or Buffalo may pay $4–$8/day.

North Carolina — $10/day

GPS fee: ~$10/day (Wake County data).

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: N.C.G.S. § 15A-1343(b1) (EM as condition of probation); § 15A-534 (pretrial conditions).

North Dakota — $13/day

GPS fee: ~$13/day. Important: Full prepayment required — 7 days minimum ($91 upfront).

Who pays: Offender (with prepayment requirement).

Statutory basis: NDCC § 12.1-32-07 (probation conditions); § 12.1-32-02 (home confinement).

Note: Like Iowa, North Dakota’s prepayment requirement creates a financial barrier to community release — defendants must have cash available before monitoring can begin.

Ohio — $12/day

GPS fee: ~$12/day (Bowling Green/Wood County data).

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: ORC § 2929.23 (community residential sanctions — EM); § 2919.26 (DV GPS monitoring).

Oklahoma — $5.50–$13.50/day

GPS fee: $5.50–$13.50/day. Monthly cap: $300/month. RF: $5.50/day.

Who pays: Offender (with statutory monthly cap).

Statutory basis: 57 O.S. § 515.1 (GPS monitoring for sex offenders — $300/month cap).

Key finding: Oklahoma’s $300/month cap provides meaningful cost protection. At the maximum GPS rate of $13.50/day, the cap effectively limits monitoring to ~22 days at full price before costs are absorbed.

Oregon — $30/day

GPS fee: ~$30/day — among the highest nationally.

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: ORS § 137.752 (GPS monitoring for sex offenders); ORS § 137.540 (probation conditions).

Note: Oregon is one of the most expensive states for GPS monitoring. At $30/day, a defendant pays $900/month — comparable to rent in many Oregon cities.

Pennsylvania — $1.50–$25/day

GPS fee: $1.50–$25/day (income-based sliding scale in many counties).

Who pays: Offender. Many counties use formal income-based sliding scales.

Statutory basis: 42 Pa.C.S. § 9763 (home confinement); 234 Pa. Code § 530 (pretrial conditions).

Key finding: Pennsylvania’s income-based sliding scale model is among the most equitable nationally. Some counties assess ability to pay using formal financial questionnaires and set fees from $1.50/day (lowest income) to $25/day (highest income).

Rhode Island — Varies (Pretrial Fees Prohibited)

GPS fee: Varies for post-conviction monitoring. Pretrial EM fees are prohibited.

Who pays: Mixed — government pays for pretrial; offender pays for post-conviction.

Statutory basis: R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-13-1.3 (pretrial EM — fees prohibited by statute).

Key finding: Rhode Island is one of only 2 states (along with California) that explicitly prohibits charging pretrial defendants for electronic monitoring. This protection ensures that pretrial freedom is not conditioned on the ability to pay monitoring costs.

South Carolina — ~$2.86/day

GPS fee: ~$2.86/day ($20/week). Among the lowest nationally.

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: S.C. Code § 24-13-1590 (EM — offender responsibility for costs).

South Dakota — $6–$15/day

GPS fee: $6–$15/day (county-variable).

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: SDCL § 23A-27-25.1 (pretrial release conditions); § 24-15A (intensive probation supervision).

Tennessee — ~$6.67/day

GPS fee: ~$6.67/day ($200/month). Installation: $50–$100.

Who pays: Mixed — Tennessee has the Electronic Monitoring Indigent Fund (EMIF) for defendants who cannot pay.

Statutory basis: T.C.A. § 40-11-152 (EM monitoring fund — establishes EMIF for indigent defendants).

Key finding: Tennessee’s EMIF (Electronic Monitoring Indigent Fund) is one of the few state-level mechanisms specifically designed to fund EM for indigent defendants. However, the fund’s capacity is limited and does not cover all who qualify.

Texas — $9–$10/day

GPS fee: $9–$10/day (most commonly reported).

Who pays: Mixed — Texas’s 254 counties operate independently, creating a highly fragmented system.

Statutory basis: Tex. Code Crim. Pro. art. 42A.409 (EM as condition of community supervision); art. 17.44 (pretrial GPS for DV/stalking).

Note: Texas recently expanded GPS monitoring requirements for certain DV cases (art. 17.44), increasing demand and potentially fees in some counties.

Utah — $10/day

GPS fee: ~$10/day. Deposit: $170 (one-time equipment deposit).

Who pays: Offender (with significant upfront cost).

Statutory basis: Utah Code § 77-18-10 (EM); § 77-20-1 (pretrial release conditions).

Note: Utah’s $170 deposit requirement adds substantial upfront cost. Combined with $10/day, the first month can cost $470+ — a significant barrier for low-income defendants.

Vermont — $0/day (Government Absorbs $28.78/day)

GPS fee: $0 to the individual. Government absorbs full cost of $28.78/day.

Who pays: Government — 100% state-funded. Vermont does not charge individuals for electronic monitoring.

Statutory basis: 28 V.S.A. § 252a (community supervision furlough).

Key finding: Vermont’s $28.78/day government cost is the highest documented “true cost” of GPS monitoring (higher than most states charge individuals). This transparency reveals what other states’ programs actually cost — the difference between Vermont’s cost and what individuals pay elsewhere represents the markup.

Virginia — Sliding Scale

GPS fee: Sliding scale based on income (no published fixed rate). Installation: $50–$200.

Who pays: Offender (income-based).

Statutory basis: Va. Code § 53.1-131.2 (home/electronic incarceration); § 19.2-152.4:3 (pretrial services).

Washington — $12.75–$21/day

GPS fee: $12.75–$21/day. Government RF cost: $0.55/day (DOC contract — among the lowest procurement costs nationally).

Who pays: Mixed — some counties subsidize, others charge full cost.

Statutory basis: RCW § 9.94A.736 (EM as sentencing alternative); RCW § 10.21.030 (pretrial conditions).

Key finding: Washington’s DOC RF procurement cost of $0.55/day — compared to $12.75–$21/day charged to individuals — represents the single largest documented markup in our database: up to 38x for the same monitoring technology.

West Virginia — $8/day

GPS fee: ~$8/day. Government procurement cost: $2.58/day (documented by FFJC).

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: W. Va. Code § 62-11B-10 (community corrections — EM); § 62-1C-17a (pretrial home confinement).

Key finding: West Virginia’s documented procurement-to-consumer markup of 3.1x ($2.58 → $8/day) is representative of the national average. For every dollar the government pays for monitoring, individuals pay roughly three.

Wisconsin — $20–$30/day

GPS fee: $20–$30/day — among the highest nationally.

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: Wis. Stat. § 301.48 (GPS tracking for sex offenders); § 969.01 (pretrial conditions).

Note: Wisconsin is one of the most expensive states. At $25/day, monitoring costs $750/month — more than the average Wisconsin utility bill and half the average monthly rent. Combined with other supervision fees, EM can consume a significant portion of a participant’s income.

Wyoming — Varies

GPS fee: Varies. Wyoming has a very small EM population due to its small overall population, making standardized rates difficult to identify.

Who pays: Offender.

Statutory basis: Wyo. Stat. § 7-13-1101 et seq. (ISP conditions including EM).

How We Compiled This Database

Data Sources and Methodology

This database draws on five categories of primary sources:

1. State statutes and administrative codes — direct legislative text authorizing (or prohibiting) EM fees, including fee caps and ability-to-pay mandates.
2. The FFJC “Electronic Monitoring Fees: A 50-State Survey” (2022) — the most comprehensive prior compilation, which we have verified, updated, and expanded with 2024–2026 data.
3. Government procurement contracts — Alaska DOC/Sentinel contract, Kansas Sedgwick County procurement (2025), and other FOIA-obtained documents revealing actual equipment costs.
4. County fee schedules and court administrative orders — individual county probation departments and court systems that publish their fee structures.
5. Academic and advocacy research — including the Vera Institute “People on Electronic Monitoring” (2024), RAND Corporation evaluations, and state judicial commission reports.

Limitations

• County variation: Fees vary significantly within states. We report the most commonly cited range and identify specific counties as examples.
• Fee changes: Monitoring contracts and fee schedules change. We update quarterly and note source dates for each entry.
• Bundled costs: Some jurisdictions bundle EM fees with probation supervision fees, drug testing, or court costs. We isolate EM-specific fees where possible.
• Private vendor opacity: Many states delegate EM to private vendors who do not publish fee schedules. In these cases, we report investigative findings or FOIA data.

Found an error or have updated fee data for your jurisdiction? Email marketing@rfidcn.com with documentation and we will update this database.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an ankle monitor cost per month?

Monthly ankle monitor costs range from $0 (in government-funded states like Missouri, Vermont, and New Jersey) to $1,200 (in high-fee states like Illinois at $40/day). The most common range is $150–$450 per month ($5–$15/day). Installation fees of $25–$300 and equipment deposits of $100–$500 may apply at the start of monitoring.

Can you get out of paying for an ankle monitor?

At least 7 states (Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Massachusetts) require courts to consider your ability to pay before imposing EM fees. In practice, fee waivers exist in most jurisdictions but are inconsistently applied. If you cannot afford monitoring fees, ask your attorney to file a motion requesting a fee waiver or reduction based on indigency.

Why do ankle monitor costs vary so much by state?

Electronic monitoring fees are set at the county level in most states, not by state law. This means fees depend on whether your county operates its own EM program (typically cheaper) or contracts with a private vendor (typically more expensive), whether your state has a fee cap, and whether your county has ability-to-pay protections. The result is that identical monitoring costs $0/day in some jurisdictions and $40/day in others.

Does the government pay for ankle monitors?

In most cases, no. Only 4 states (Missouri, Vermont, New Jersey, Hawaii) fully fund ankle monitoring through government budgets. In 33 of 50 states, the individual on monitoring bears the full cost. Government procurement data shows the actual equipment cost is $1–$5/day, but individuals are charged $5–$40/day.

© 2026 REFINE Technology. This data compilation is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. You may share and cite this data with attribution and a link to this page. Commercial use requires written permission from marketing@rfidcn.com. Last updated: October 2026.