In most cases, yes. By the time an officer asks for a PBT, they already have substantial reason to believe you may be impaired (failed field sobriety tests, observed behavior, smell of alcohol). Refusing the PBT typically removes one piece of supporting evidence but does not prevent the arrest itself. The officer can arrest based on other indicators.
Will refusing a PBT cause me to be arrested anyway?RI DUI Laws2026-10-29T22:19:41+00:00