Upon payment of the required fee, an applicant who is an interior designer currently registered, certified, or licensed under the laws of another state or territory of the United States or a foreign country or province shall, without further examination, be granted registration as an interior designer by the Department whenever the requirements of such state or territory of the United States or a foreign country or province were, at the date of registration, certification, or licensure, substantially equal to or greater than the requirements then in force in this State.