EPA / CARB compliance
All new generators sold in the US must meet EPA emissions standards; CARB compliance is California’s stricter certification, required to sell a generator in California. Neither is a performance rating — they certify exhaust and evaporative emissions.
A “49-state” generator is EPA-certified but not CARB-certified and cannot legally be sold into California. Buyers elsewhere sometimes prefer CARB-compliant models anyway for resale flexibility.
Separately, California’s SORE (small off-road engine) rules phase out sales of new gasoline-powered small engines in the state — one force behind the growth of battery “power stations” and natural-gas standby units. Existing generators remain legal to own and use.