diff --git a/src/core/mac/mac_frame.cpp b/src/core/mac/mac_frame.cpp
index 59ddb7fb0..645faeacd 100644
--- a/src/core/mac/mac_frame.cpp
+++ b/src/core/mac/mac_frame.cpp
@@ -901,8 +901,8 @@ uint8_t Frame::FindPayloadIndex(void) const
 {
     uint8_t index = SkipSecurityHeaderIndex();
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_HEADER_IE_SUPPORT
-    uint8_t *cur    = NULL;
-    uint8_t *footer = GetFooter();
+    const uint8_t *cur    = NULL;
+    const uint8_t *footer = GetFooter();
 #endif
 
     VerifyOrExit(index != kInvalidIndex);
@@ -914,8 +914,8 @@ uint8_t Frame::FindPayloadIndex(void) const
     {
         while (cur + sizeof(HeaderIe) <= footer)
         {
-            HeaderIe *ie  = reinterpret_cast<HeaderIe *>(cur);
-            uint8_t   len = static_cast<uint8_t>(ie->GetLength());
+            const HeaderIe *ie  = reinterpret_cast<const HeaderIe *>(cur);
+            uint8_t         len = static_cast<uint8_t>(ie->GetLength());
 
             cur += sizeof(HeaderIe);
             index += sizeof(HeaderIe);
@@ -945,10 +945,10 @@ exit:
     return index;
 }
 
-uint8_t *Frame::GetPayload(void)
+const uint8_t *Frame::GetPayload(void) const
 {
-    uint8_t  index   = FindPayloadIndex();
-    uint8_t *payload = GetPsdu() + index;
+    uint8_t        index   = FindPayloadIndex();
+    const uint8_t *payload = GetPsdu() + index;
 
     VerifyOrExit(index != kInvalidIndex, payload = NULL);
 
@@ -956,23 +956,7 @@ exit:
     return payload;
 }
 
-uint8_t *Frame::GetPayload(void) const
-{
-    uint8_t  index   = FindPayloadIndex();
-    uint8_t *payload = GetPsdu() + index;
-
-    VerifyOrExit(index != kInvalidIndex, payload = NULL);
-
-exit:
-    return payload;
-}
-
-uint8_t *Frame::GetFooter(void)
-{
-    return GetPsdu() + GetPsduLength() - GetFooterLength();
-}
-
-uint8_t *Frame::GetFooter(void) const
+const uint8_t *Frame::GetFooter(void) const
 {
     return GetPsdu() + GetPsduLength() - GetFooterLength();
 }
@@ -1014,11 +998,11 @@ exit:
     return error;
 }
 
-uint8_t *Frame::GetHeaderIe(uint8_t aIeId) const
+const uint8_t *Frame::GetHeaderIe(uint8_t aIeId) const
 {
-    uint8_t  index   = FindHeaderIeIndex();
-    uint8_t *cur     = NULL;
-    uint8_t *payload = GetPayload();
+    uint8_t        index   = FindHeaderIeIndex();
+    const uint8_t *cur     = NULL;
+    const uint8_t *payload = GetPayload();
 
     VerifyOrExit(index != kInvalidIndex);
 
@@ -1026,8 +1010,8 @@ uint8_t *Frame::GetHeaderIe(uint8_t aIeId) const
 
     while (cur + sizeof(HeaderIe) <= payload)
     {
-        HeaderIe *ie  = reinterpret_cast<HeaderIe *>(cur);
-        uint8_t   len = static_cast<uint8_t>(ie->GetLength());
+        const HeaderIe *ie  = reinterpret_cast<const HeaderIe *>(cur);
+        uint8_t         len = static_cast<uint8_t>(ie->GetLength());
 
         if (ie->GetId() == aIeId)
         {
@@ -1052,18 +1036,18 @@ exit:
 #endif // OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_HEADER_IE_SUPPORT
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_ENABLE_TIME_SYNC
-uint8_t *Frame::GetTimeIe(void) const
+const uint8_t *Frame::GetTimeIe(void) const
 {
-    TimeIe * timeIe              = NULL;
-    uint8_t *cur                 = NULL;
-    uint8_t  oui[kVendorOuiSize] = {kVendorOuiNest & 0xff, (kVendorOuiNest >> 8) & 0xff, (kVendorOuiNest >> 16) & 0xff};
+    const TimeIe * timeIe       = NULL;
+    const uint8_t *cur          = NULL;
+    uint8_t oui[kVendorOuiSize] = {kVendorOuiNest & 0xff, (kVendorOuiNest >> 8) & 0xff, (kVendorOuiNest >> 16) & 0xff};
 
     cur = GetHeaderIe(kHeaderIeVendor);
     VerifyOrExit(cur != NULL);
 
     cur += sizeof(HeaderIe);
 
-    timeIe = reinterpret_cast<TimeIe *>(cur);
+    timeIe = reinterpret_cast<const TimeIe *>(cur);
     VerifyOrExit(memcmp(oui, timeIe->GetVendorOui(), kVendorOuiSize) == 0, cur = NULL);
     VerifyOrExit(timeIe->GetSubType() == kVendorIeTime, cur = NULL);
 
diff --git a/src/core/mac/mac_frame.hpp b/src/core/mac/mac_frame.hpp
index 0891603e2..25d9869ed 100644
--- a/src/core/mac/mac_frame.hpp
+++ b/src/core/mac/mac_frame.hpp
@@ -1126,7 +1126,7 @@ public:
      * @returns A pointer to the PSDU.
      *
      */
-    uint8_t *GetPsdu(void) const { return mPsdu; }
+    const uint8_t *GetPsdu(void) const { return mPsdu; }
 
     /**
      * This method returns a pointer to the MAC Header.
@@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ public:
      * @returns A pointer to the MAC Payload.
      *
      */
-    uint8_t *GetPayload(void);
+    uint8_t *GetPayload(void) { return const_cast<uint8_t *>(const_cast<const Frame *>(this)->GetPayload()); }
 
     /**
      * This const method returns a pointer to the MAC Payload.
@@ -1158,7 +1158,7 @@ public:
      * @returns A pointer to the MAC Payload.
      *
      */
-    uint8_t *GetPayload(void) const;
+    const uint8_t *GetPayload(void) const;
 
     /**
      * This method returns a pointer to the MAC Footer.
@@ -1166,7 +1166,7 @@ public:
      * @returns A pointer to the MAC Footer.
      *
      */
-    uint8_t *GetFooter(void);
+    uint8_t *GetFooter(void) { return const_cast<uint8_t *>(const_cast<const Frame *>(this)->GetFooter()); }
 
     /**
      * This const method returns a pointer to the MAC Footer.
@@ -1174,7 +1174,7 @@ public:
      * @returns A pointer to the MAC Footer.
      *
      */
-    uint8_t *GetFooter(void) const;
+    const uint8_t *GetFooter(void) const;
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_ENABLE_TIME_SYNC
     /**
@@ -1231,7 +1231,15 @@ public:
      * @returns A pointer to the Time IE, NULL if not found.
      *
      */
-    uint8_t *GetTimeIe(void) const;
+    uint8_t *GetTimeIe(void) { return const_cast<uint8_t *>(const_cast<const Frame *>(this)->GetTimeIe()); }
+
+    /**
+     * This method returns a pointer to the vendor specific Time IE.
+     *
+     * @returns A pointer to the Time IE, NULL if not found.
+     *
+     */
+    const uint8_t *GetTimeIe(void) const;
 #endif // OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_ENABLE_TIME_SYNC
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_HEADER_IE_SUPPORT
@@ -1255,7 +1263,20 @@ public:
      * @returns A pointer to the Header IE, NULL if not found.
      *
      */
-    uint8_t *GetHeaderIe(uint8_t aIeId) const;
+    uint8_t *GetHeaderIe(uint8_t aIeId)
+    {
+        return const_cast<uint8_t *>(const_cast<const Frame *>(this)->GetHeaderIe(aIeId));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * This method returns a pointer to the Header IE.
+     *
+     * @param[in] aIeId  The Element Id of the Header IE.
+     *
+     * @returns A pointer to the Header IE, NULL if not found.
+     *
+     */
+    const uint8_t *GetHeaderIe(uint8_t aIeId) const;
 #endif // OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_HEADER_IE_SUPPORT
 
     /**