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For the first time the Constitution was amended in 2003, to enable to elect local government's representative bodies for four years instead of three. The amendment came into force just before the October 2005 elections.

The second time the Constitution was changed was connected to Estonia joining the European Union. It has so far been the only time when it was decided to change the Constitution in a referendum. The adoption of the law of amendments to the Constitution on 14 September 2003 (66.8% voted for) and the entry into force on 6 January 2004, enabled the Riigikogu to ratify the treaty for the accession of Estonia to the European Union, which had already been signed in April 2003. Estonia joined the European Union on 1 May 2004.

The third time it was decided to change the Constitution was in 2007, in order draw attention to the Estonian language as carrier of Estonian culture and national identity.

While before, there was the sentence in the preamble of the Constitution that "the State shall ensure the preservation of the Estonian nation and culture through the ages," the amendment changed the wording to "the State shall guarantee the preservation of the Estonian nation, language and culture through the ages."

In 2011, the Constitution underwent much larger changes, particularly in the state defence organization. The parliament took the view that the provisions in force so far had become an obstacle to the country's development. This amendment to the Constitution left out a reference to the Defence Forces commander-in-chief and supreme commander and the parliament was obliged by law to establish an order of appointing military leaders.

The Constitution can be amended by an Act, which has been adopted at a referendum, by two successive memberships of the Riigikogu, or by the Riiguikogu as a matter of urgency.

The Estonian Riigikogu approved on Wednesday of the bill on amendments to the Constitution of Estonia for reducing the voting age for local government council elections, which gives 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote at local municipality elections. The corresponding law was approved in February this year with 62 votes by the previous composition of the parliament and its adoption and amendment of the Constitution required the approval of the current Riigikogu too.