(a) The approval process for a school or program shall be consistent with the following timelines:

1. (1)

   1. (A) Upon receipt of a complete letter of intent to submit an application for approval as a school or program of licensed vocational nursing, the board shall notify the proposed school or program of the steps in the approval process and provide an estimated wait time until active assignment to a nursing education consultant.
   2. (B) A vocational nursing school or program that fails to submit a complete letter of intent within 30 days from the date the board notifies the school or program of deficiencies shall be taken out of consideration for approval as a new school or program and may only reapply after six months.
   3. (C) Upon active assignment of a nursing education consultant, the school or program shall submit an initial application for approval within 60 days.

2. (2)

   1. (A) Within 30 days of the date the board receives an initial application for approval, the board shall notify the school or program whether the application is complete.
   2. (B) A notice that an initial application is not complete shall specify what additional documents or payment of fees the school or program is required to submit to the board to make the application complete.
3. (3) Within 60 days from the date the board notifies the school or program that the initial application is not complete, the school or program shall provide the missing information. If a school or program fails to submit the required information, the board shall take the application out of consideration consistent with subdivision (c) of Section 2881.3.
4. (4) Within six months of the date the board receives an initial application for approval as a school or program, the board shall approve the school or program, deny approval, or notify the school or program that corrective action is required.

(b) A school or program of vocational nursing seeking approval by the board shall remit to the board for deposit in the Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians Fund fees in accordance with the following schedule:

1. (1) The nonrefundable initial application fee shall be in an amount equal to the reasonable costs incurred by the board in reviewing and processing the application up to five thousand dollars ($5,000).

2. (2)

   1. (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the final approval fee shall be in an amount equal to the reasonable costs incurred by the board in the application approval process up to fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).

   2. (B) The final approval fee for an applicant program that meets both of the following criteria shall be in an amount equal to the reasonable costs incurred by the board in the application approval process up to five thousand dollars ($5,000):

      1. (i) The program is affiliated with an approved school or program that is in good standing.
      2. (ii) The program utilizes the curriculum and policies approved by the board for the approved school or program.
3. (3) The continuing approval fee shall be in an amount equal to the reasonable costs incurred by the board in providing oversight and review of a school or program up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) once every four years.