I have noticed a trend that where in the past one would simply use the word "fee", now the phrase "nominal fee" is always used. As far as I understand, the word "nominal" literally means "in name only". So a "nominal fee" would be a fee so low that it is not really a fee at all, but is a fee "in name only".
For example a swimming beach in my area has a website where they say "the beach is open to the public for a nominal fee of $8". In my estimation, $8 is not in any way low... if anything it is average and is probably more on the high side for swimming. It would have to be on the order of $1 or $2 to be considered "nominal" in my estimation.
Is this a case of misuse of a term, where people think the word "nominal" always goes before the word "fee" and don't understand its meaning?