diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/emitter.h b/include/yaml-cpp/emitter.h
index 210b1ec..3999eb0 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/emitter.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/emitter.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class YAML_CPP_API Emitter {
 
   // state checking
   bool good() const;
-  const std::string GetLastError() const;
+  std::string GetLastError() const;
 
   // global setters
   bool SetOutputCharset(EMITTER_MANIP value);
diff --git a/src/directives.cpp b/src/directives.cpp
index f6e9587..4b82270 100644
--- a/src/directives.cpp
+++ b/src/directives.cpp
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 namespace YAML {
 Directives::Directives() : version{true, 1, 2}, tags{} {}
 
-const std::string Directives::TranslateTagHandle(
-    const std::string& handle) const {
+std::string Directives::TranslateTagHandle(const std::string& handle) const {
   auto it = tags.find(handle);
   if (it == tags.end()) {
     if (handle == "!!")
diff --git a/src/directives.h b/src/directives.h
index 333af26..18d14c9 100644
--- a/src/directives.h
+++ b/src/directives.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ struct Version {
 struct Directives {
   Directives();
 
-  const std::string TranslateTagHandle(const std::string& handle) const;
+  std::string TranslateTagHandle(const std::string& handle) const;
 
   Version version;
   std::map<std::string, std::string> tags;
diff --git a/src/emitter.cpp b/src/emitter.cpp
index 644b312..1d30073 100644
--- a/src/emitter.cpp
+++ b/src/emitter.cpp
@@ -25,9 +25,7 @@ std::size_t Emitter::size() const { return m_stream.pos(); }
 // state checking
 bool Emitter::good() const { return m_pState->good(); }
 
-const std::string Emitter::GetLastError() const {
-  return m_pState->GetLastError();
-}
+std::string Emitter::GetLastError() const { return m_pState->GetLastError(); }
 
 // global setters
 bool Emitter::SetOutputCharset(EMITTER_MANIP value) {
diff --git a/src/scantag.cpp b/src/scantag.cpp
index 176cc5c..63bc1e5 100644
--- a/src/scantag.cpp
+++ b/src/scantag.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #include "yaml-cpp/mark.h"
 
 namespace YAML {
-const std::string ScanVerbatimTag(Stream& INPUT) {
+std::string ScanVerbatimTag(Stream& INPUT) {
   std::string tag;
 
   // eat the start character
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const std::string ScanVerbatimTag(Stream& INPUT) {
   throw ParserException(INPUT.mark(), ErrorMsg::END_OF_VERBATIM_TAG);
 }
 
-const std::string ScanTagHandle(Stream& INPUT, bool& canBeHandle) {
+std::string ScanTagHandle(Stream& INPUT, bool& canBeHandle) {
   std::string tag;
   canBeHandle = true;
   Mark firstNonWordChar;
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ const std::string ScanTagHandle(Stream& INPUT, bool& canBeHandle) {
   return tag;
 }
 
-const std::string ScanTagSuffix(Stream& INPUT) {
+std::string ScanTagSuffix(Stream& INPUT) {
   std::string tag;
 
   while (INPUT) {
diff --git a/src/scantag.h b/src/scantag.h
index 522ba54..9fa1684 100644
--- a/src/scantag.h
+++ b/src/scantag.h
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
 #include "stream.h"
 
 namespace YAML {
-const std::string ScanVerbatimTag(Stream& INPUT);
-const std::string ScanTagHandle(Stream& INPUT, bool& canBeHandle);
-const std::string ScanTagSuffix(Stream& INPUT);
+std::string ScanVerbatimTag(Stream& INPUT);
+std::string ScanTagHandle(Stream& INPUT, bool& canBeHandle);
+std::string ScanTagSuffix(Stream& INPUT);
 }
 
 #endif  // SCANTAG_H_62B23520_7C8E_11DE_8A39_0800200C9A66
diff --git a/src/tag.cpp b/src/tag.cpp
index df8a2cf..35a1b46 100644
--- a/src/tag.cpp
+++ b/src/tag.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ Tag::Tag(const Token& token)
   }
 }
 
-const std::string Tag::Translate(const Directives& directives) {
+std::string Tag::Translate(const Directives& directives) {
   switch (type) {
     case VERBATIM:
       return value;
diff --git a/src/tag.h b/src/tag.h
index ac30673..c811f39 100644
--- a/src/tag.h
+++ b/src/tag.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ struct Tag {
   };
 
   Tag(const Token& token);
-  const std::string Translate(const Directives& directives);
+  std::string Translate(const Directives& directives);
 
   TYPE type;
   std::string handle, value;