Beginning one year after issuance of the first designer’s license, all plans, applications, evaluations, and certifications for the siting, location, design, installation, or repair of any individual sewage disposal system submitted to the department of environmental management shall be prepared by a person possessing an appropriate designer’s license issued by the director of the department of environmental management in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated under § 5-56.1-3. The department of environmental management may exempt the repair of individual sewage disposal systems from this requirement.