(a) Upon receipt of a license application and the initial license fee prescribed by this section, the board shall issue a license to each qualified applicant. The initial license shall not be issued for a period of less than four months nor more than twenty-seven months and the initial license fee shall be based on the number of months of licensure prior to the expiration of the initial license under the birthdate renewal cycle, according to the pro-rated formula set forth below:

(b) An applicant's eligibility for a license shall expire if he or she fails to submit a license application within one year after the date of the board's written notice of eligibility for licensure. An applicant whose eligibility for licensure has expired may reestablish eligibility by retaking and passing the national examination and the state examination, provided the applicant meets the current requirements for examination.