diff --git a/.bazeliskrc b/.bazeliskrc
index 4913d8672069..05c4d4b19a1f 100644
--- a/.bazeliskrc
+++ b/.bazeliskrc
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 # Keep this version number in sync with the Ubuntu deb installed by
 # drake/setup/ubuntu/source_distribution/install_prereqs.sh.
-USE_BAZEL_VERSION=5.3.1
+USE_BAZEL_VERSION=6.0.0rc2
diff --git a/setup/ubuntu/source_distribution/install_prereqs.sh b/setup/ubuntu/source_distribution/install_prereqs.sh
index 419364963216..66ab35d76ca7 100755
--- a/setup/ubuntu/source_distribution/install_prereqs.sh
+++ b/setup/ubuntu/source_distribution/install_prereqs.sh
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ if [[ $(arch) = "aarch64" ]]; then
   fi
 else
   dpkg_install_from_wget \
-    bazel 5.3.1 \
-    https://releases.bazel.build/5.3.1/release/bazel_5.3.1-linux-x86_64.deb \
-    1e939b50d90f68d30fa4f3c12dfdf31429b83ddd8076c622429854f64253c23d
+    bazel 6.0.0rc2 \
+    https://releases.bazel.build/6.0.0/rc2/bazel_6.0.0rc2-linux-x86_64.deb \
+    205c48f1dde8a3a9737c3e919bbf037a621e3aa9e40e9b0aeee3169282911d71
 fi