Is using a dashcam in Germany actually legal?

German dashcam law divides into two parts, which makes it confusing. The Federal Court of Justice ruled that dashcam recordings can serve as evidence in court, even if the recording itself breaches data protection law. But if you run the camera constantly without specific reason and store the recordings, you risk a fine of up to €50,000, according to Datenschutz.org. A short loop recording is better—save it permanently only after an accident, then delete it once you no longer need it.