diff --git a/autotests/emailtest.cpp b/autotests/emailtest.cpp
--- a/autotests/emailtest.cpp
+++ b/autotests/emailtest.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
 {
     QByteArray vcarddata("BEGIN:VCARD\n"
                          "VERSION:3.0\n"
-                         "EMAIL;TYPE=HOME,PREF;X-EVOLUTION-UI-SLOT=2:foo@foo.com\n"
+                         "EMAIL;TYPE=WORK;X-EVOLUTION-UI-SLOT=2:foo@foo.com\n"
                          "EMAIL;TYPE=HOME,PREF;X-EVOLUTION-UI-SLOT=2:bla@bla.com\n"
                          "N:LastName;FirstName;;;\n"
                          "UID:c80cf296-0825-4eb0-ab16-1fac1d522a33@xxxxxx.xx\n"
@@ -140,8 +140,12 @@
     QCOMPARE(lst.at(0).emailList().count(), 2);
     KContacts::Email email = lst.at(0).emailList().at(0);
     QCOMPARE(email.mail(), QStringLiteral("bla@bla.com"));
+    QCOMPARE(email.type(), KContacts::Email::Home | KContacts::Email::Preferred);
+    QVERIFY(email.isPreferred());
     email = lst.at(0).emailList().at(1);
     QCOMPARE(email.mail(), QStringLiteral("foo@foo.com"));
+    QCOMPARE(email.type(), KContacts::Email::Work);
+    QVERIFY(!email.isPreferred());
 
     QCOMPARE(email.parameters().count(), 2);
 }
@@ -170,7 +174,7 @@
     addr.setUid(QStringLiteral("testuid"));
     lst << addr;
     KContacts::VCardTool vcard;
-    const QByteArray ba = vcard.exportVCards(lst, KContacts::VCard::v4_0);
+    QByteArray ba = vcard.exportVCards(lst, KContacts::VCard::v4_0);
     QByteArray expected("BEGIN:VCARD\r\n"
                         "VERSION:4.0\r\n"
                         "EMAIL:foo@kde.org\r\n"
@@ -180,6 +184,25 @@
                         "END:VCARD\r\n\r\n");
 
     QCOMPARE(ba, expected);
+
+    KContacts::Addressee addr2;
+    addr2.setUid(QStringLiteral("testuid"));
+    KContacts::Email email1, email2;
+    email1.setEmail(QStringLiteral("foo@kde.org"));
+    email1.setType(KContacts::Email::Work | KContacts::Email::Preferred);
+    email2.setEmail(QStringLiteral("bla@kde.org"));
+    email2.setType(KContacts::Email::Home);
+    addr2.setEmailList({email1, email2});
+    ba = vcard.exportVCards({addr2}, KContacts::VCard::v4_0);
+    QByteArray expected2("BEGIN:VCARD\r\n"
+                        "VERSION:4.0\r\n"
+                        "EMAIL;TYPE=WORK,PREF:foo@kde.org\r\n"
+                        "EMAIL;TYPE=HOME:bla@kde.org\r\n"
+                        "N:;;;;\r\n"
+                        "UID:testuid\r\n"
+                        "END:VCARD\r\n\r\n");
+
+    QCOMPARE(ba, expected2);
 }
 
 QTEST_MAIN(EmailTest)
diff --git a/src/email.h b/src/email.h
--- a/src/email.h
+++ b/src/email.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@
     Q_GADGET
     Q_PROPERTY(QString email READ mail WRITE setEmail)
     Q_PROPERTY(bool isValid READ isValid)
+    Q_PROPERTY(Type type READ type WRITE setType)
+    Q_PROPERTY(bool isPreferred)
 
 public:
     /**
@@ -54,11 +56,40 @@
 
     typedef QVector<Email> List;
 
+    /** Email types. */
+    enum TypeFlag {
+        Unknown = 0, /**< No or unknown email type is set. */
+        Home = 1,    /**< Personal email. */
+        Work = 2,    /**< Work email. */
+        Other = 4,   /**< Other email. */
+        Preferred = 8     /**< Preferred email address. */
+    };
+
+    Q_DECLARE_FLAGS(Type, TypeFlag)
+    Q_FLAG(Type)
+
     void setEmail(const QString &mail);
     Q_REQUIRED_RESULT QString mail() const;
 
     Q_REQUIRED_RESULT bool isValid() const;
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the type of the email.
+     * @since 5.12
+     */
+    Type type() const;
+    /**
+     * Sets the email type.
+     * @since 5.12
+     */
+    void setType(Type type);
+
+    /**
+     * Returns whether this is the preferred email address.
+     * @since 5.12
+     */
+    bool isPreferred() const;
+
     void setParameters(const QMap<QString, QStringList> &params);
     Q_REQUIRED_RESULT QMap<QString, QStringList> parameters() const;
 
@@ -73,6 +104,8 @@
     QSharedDataPointer<Private> d;
 };
 
+Q_DECLARE_OPERATORS_FOR_FLAGS(Email::Type)
+
 KCONTACTS_EXPORT QDataStream &operator<<(QDataStream &stream, const Email &object);
 
 KCONTACTS_EXPORT QDataStream &operator>>(QDataStream &stream, Email &object);
diff --git a/src/email.cpp b/src/email.cpp
--- a/src/email.cpp
+++ b/src/email.cpp
@@ -126,6 +126,63 @@
     return !d->mail.isEmpty();
 }
 
+struct email_type_name
+{
+    const char* name;
+    Email::Type type;
+};
+
+static const email_type_name email_type_names[] = {
+    { "HOME", Email::Home },
+    { "WORK", Email::Work },
+    { "OTHER", Email::Other },
+    { "PREF", Email::Preferred }
+};
+
+Email::Type KContacts::Email::type() const
+{
+    const auto it = d->parameters.constFind(QLatin1String("type"));
+    if (it == d->parameters.end()) {
+        return Unknown;
+    }
+
+    Type type = Unknown;
+    for (const auto &s : it.value()) {
+        const auto it = std::find_if(std::begin(email_type_names), std::end(email_type_names), [s](const email_type_name &t) {
+            return QLatin1String(t.name) == s;
+        });
+        if (it != std::end(email_type_names)) {
+            type |= (*it).type;
+        }
+    }
+    return type;
+}
+
+void Email::setType(Type type)
+{
+    const auto oldType = this->type();
+
+    auto types = d->parameters.value(QLatin1String("type"));
+    for (const auto &t : email_type_names) {
+        if (((type ^ oldType) & t.type) == 0) {
+            continue; // no change
+        }
+
+        if (type & t.type) {
+            types.push_back(QLatin1String(t.name));
+        } else {
+            types.removeAll(QLatin1String(t.name));
+        }
+    }
+
+    d->parameters.insert(QLatin1String("type"), types);
+}
+
+bool Email::isPreferred() const
+{
+    return type() & Preferred;
+}
+
 QDataStream &KContacts::operator<<(QDataStream &s, const Email &email)
 {
     return s << email.d->parameters << email.d->mail;