(a) Upon payment of the required fee as prescribed in Section 9 of this Act, a person who is certified or licensed as a structural pest control technician by a state or the federal government may apply for reciprocal certification without examination by the Department in those sub-categories or areas for which the applicant holds certification or licensure by the state or the federal government.
     (b) In order to receive reciprocal certification under subsection (a) of this Section, the requirements for the certification or licensure by the state or the federal government must have been, at the date of the certification or licensure, substantially equivalent to the requirements then in force in this State, as determined by the Department.