(a) The commissioner shall, by regulation, establish fees for applications for approval of equivalent courses of study as defined in Section 10153.5 in an amount sufficient to cover the cost of administration. The fee for an application for approval of each course given by a private vocational school, including any branch school that gives the same course, shall be five hundred dollars ($500), not to exceed six hundred fifty dollars ($650).
(b) The commissioner shall notify every applicant of their decision on the application no later than 60 days after receipt by the commissioner of a completed application. The application shall be on a form to be supplied by the commissioner.