Basically, once a temple was designated as jogakuji, the governor or arch-priest (the head Buddhist priest of kokubunji) of the province, where the temple was located, was responsible for the maintenance of the jogakuji through the provision of repairmen and maintenance allowances and for the appointment and arrangement of jogakuso and "nenbundo-sha" (approved people who enter the Buddhist priesthood), although there were differences among temples.
定額寺に指定されるとその内容は寺院によって違いはあるものの、基本的には定額寺のある令制国の国司・講師（国分寺の僧侶の長）は、定額寺に修理料・燈分料を与え、修造の義務、定額僧や年分度者の配置に対する便宜などが行われた。