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HRS §291E-65

What happens if you refuse a breath or blood test

If you are under 21 and arrested for driving with any alcohol, and you refuse a breath or blood test, the officer must report this to a judge. The judge will hold a hearing and, if the report is true, suspend your license. You can appeal the judge's decision.

courts

The statute, as written — Refusal to submit to testing for measurable amount of alcohol; district court hearing; sanctions; appeals; admissibility

(a) If a person under arrest for operating a vehicle after consuming a measurable amount of alcohol, pursuant to section 291E-64, refuses to submit to a breath or blood test, none shall be given, except as provided in section 291E-21, but the arresting law enforcement officer, as soon as practicable, shall submit an affidavit to a district judge of the circuit in which the arrest was made, stating: (1) That at the time of the arrest, the arresting officer had probable cause to believe the arrested person was under the age of twenty-one and had been operating a vehicle upon a public way, street, road, or highway or on or in the waters of the State with a measurable amount of alcohol; (2) That the arrested person was informed that the person may refuse to submit to a breath or blood test, in compliance with section 291E-11; (3) That the person had refused to submit to a breath or blood test; (4) That the arrested person was: (A) Informed of the sanctions of this section; and then (B) Asked if the person still refuses to submit to a breath or blood test, in compliance with the requirements of section 291E-15; and (5) That the arrested person continued to refuse to submit to a breath or blood test. (b) Upon receipt of the affidavit, the district judge shall hold a hearing within twenty days. The district judge shall hear and determine: (1) Whether the arresting law enforcement officer had probable cause to believe that the person was under the age of twenty-one and had been operating a vehicle upon a public way, street, road, or highway or on or in the waters of the State with a measurable amount of alcohol; (2) Whether the person was lawfully arrested; (3) Whether the person was informed that the person may refuse to submit to a breath or blood test, in compliance with section 291E-11; (4) Whether the person refused to submit to a test of the person's breath or blood; (5) Whether the person was: (A) Informed of the sanctions of this section; and then (B) Asked if the person still refuses to submit to a breath or blood test, in compliance with the requirements of section 291E-15; and (6) Whether the person continued to refuse to submit to a breath or blood test. (c) If the district judge finds the statements contained in the affidavit are true, the judge shall suspend the arrested person's license and privilege to operate a vehicle as follows: (1) For a first suspension, or any suspension not preceded within a five-year period by a suspension under this section, for a period of twelve months; and (2) For any subsequent suspension under this section, for a period not less than two years and not more than five years. (d) An order of a district court issued under this section may be appealed to the supreme court.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

Sections this one refers to

§291E-11 Driving means you agree to alcohol and drug testing

§291E-15 What happens if you refuse a breath, blood, or urine test after arrest

§291E-21 Testing after a crash that causes injury or death

§291E-64 Under-21 Driving After Any Alcohol

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.