diff --git a/tools/workspace/libjpeg/package-macos.BUILD.bazel b/tools/workspace/libjpeg/package-macos.BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..90fcd0680f6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/workspace/libjpeg/package-macos.BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# -*- python -*-
+
+licenses(["notice"])  # IJG
+
+cc_library(
+    name = "libjpeg",
+    hdrs = glob(["include/*.h"]),
+    includes = ["include"],
+    linkopts = [
+        "-L/usr/local/opt/jpeg/lib",
+        "-Wl,-rpath,/usr/local/opt/jpeg/lib",
+        "-ljpeg",
+    ],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/tools/workspace/libjpeg/package-ubuntu.BUILD.bazel b/tools/workspace/libjpeg/package-ubuntu.BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..280f0c7e067b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/workspace/libjpeg/package-ubuntu.BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# -*- python -*-
+
+licenses(["notice"])  # IJG
+
+cc_library(
+    name = "libjpeg",
+    hdrs = glob(["include/*.h"]),
+    includes = ["include"],
+    linkopts = [
+        "-L/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu",
+        "-ljpeg",
+    ],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/tools/workspace/libjpeg/repository.bzl b/tools/workspace/libjpeg/repository.bzl
index 4d30f34679a7..7d759a481db9 100644
--- a/tools/workspace/libjpeg/repository.bzl
+++ b/tools/workspace/libjpeg/repository.bzl
@@ -1,20 +1,40 @@
-# -*- mode: python -*-
+# -*- python -*-
 
-load(
-    "@drake//tools/workspace:pkg_config.bzl",
-    "pkg_config_repository",
-)
+load("@drake//tools/workspace:os.bzl", "determine_os")
+
+def _impl(repository_ctx):
+    os_result = determine_os(repository_ctx)
+
+    if os_result.error != None:
+        fail(os_result.error)
 
-def libjpeg_repository(
-        name,
-        licenses = ["notice"],  # IJG
-        modname = "libjpeg",
-        pkg_config_paths = ["/usr/local/opt/libjpeg/lib/pkgconfig"],
-        **kwargs):
-    pkg_config_repository(
-        name = name,
-        licenses = licenses,
-        modname = modname,
-        pkg_config_paths = pkg_config_paths,
-        **kwargs
-    )
+    if os_result.is_macos:
+        repository_ctx.symlink("/usr/local/opt/jpeg/include", "include")
+        repository_ctx.symlink(
+            Label("@drake//tools/workspace/libjpeg:package-macos.BUILD.bazel"),
+            "BUILD.bazel",
+        )
+    elif os_result.is_ubuntu:
+        for hdr in ["jerror.h", "jmorecfg.h", "jpegint.h", "jpeglib.h"]:
+            repository_ctx.symlink(
+                "/usr/include/{}".format(hdr),
+                "include/{}".format(hdr),
+            )
+        repository_ctx.symlink(
+            "/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu/jconfig.h",
+            "include/jconfig.h",
+        )
+        repository_ctx.symlink(
+            Label(
+                "@drake//tools/workspace/libjpeg:package-ubuntu.BUILD.bazel",
+            ),
+            "BUILD.bazel",
+        )
+    else:
+        fail("Operating system is NOT supported", attr = os_result)
+
+libjpeg_repository = repository_rule(
+    local = True,
+    configure = True,
+    implementation = _impl,
+)
diff --git a/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/package-macos.BUILD.bazel b/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/package-macos.BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8d6c183e9cc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/package-macos.BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# -*- python -*-
+
+licenses(["notice"])  # X11
+
+cc_library(
+    name = "yaml_cpp",
+    hdrs = glob(["include/yaml-cpp/*.h"]),
+    includes = ["include"],
+    linkopts = [
+        "-L/usr/local/opt/yaml-cpp/lib",
+        "-Wl,-rpath,/usr/local/opt/yaml-cpp/lib",
+        "-lyaml-cpp",
+    ],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/package-ubuntu-18.04.BUILD.bazel b/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/package-ubuntu-18.04.BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..46999b4398c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/package-ubuntu-18.04.BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# -*- python -*-
+
+licenses(["notice"])  # X11
+
+cc_library(
+    name = "yaml_cpp",
+    hdrs = glob(["include/yaml-cpp/*.h"]),
+    includes = ["include"],
+    linkopts = [
+        "-L/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu",
+        "-lyaml-cpp",
+    ],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+    deps = ["@boost//:boost_headers"],
+)
diff --git a/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/package-ubuntu-20.04.BUILD.bazel b/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/package-ubuntu-20.04.BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..82fba0b6b0ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/package-ubuntu-20.04.BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# -*- python -*-
+
+licenses(["notice"])  # X11
+
+cc_library(
+    name = "yaml_cpp",
+    hdrs = glob(["include/yaml-cpp/*.h"]),
+    includes = ["include"],
+    linkopts = [
+        "-L/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu",
+        "-lyaml-cpp",
+    ],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/repository.bzl b/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/repository.bzl
index aff1a7716bbc..65ee6b9fbeda 100644
--- a/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/repository.bzl
+++ b/tools/workspace/yaml_cpp/repository.bzl
@@ -1,24 +1,40 @@
-# -*- mode: python -*-
+# -*- python -*-
 
-load(
-    "@drake//tools/workspace:pkg_config.bzl",
-    "pkg_config_repository",
-)
+load("@drake//tools/workspace:os.bzl", "determine_os")
+
+def _impl(repository_ctx):
+    os_result = determine_os(repository_ctx)
+
+    if os_result.error != None:
+        fail(os_result.error)
 
-def yaml_cpp_repository(
-        name,
-        licenses = ["notice"],  # X11
-        modname = "yaml-cpp",
-        atleast_version = "0.5.2",
-        extra_deps = ["@boost//:boost_headers"],
-        pkg_config_paths = ["/usr/local/opt/yaml-cpp/lib/pkgconfig"],
-        **kwargs):
-    pkg_config_repository(
-        name = name,
-        licenses = licenses,
-        modname = modname,
-        atleast_version = atleast_version,
-        extra_deps = extra_deps,
-        pkg_config_paths = pkg_config_paths,
-        **kwargs
-    )
+    if os_result.is_macos:
+        repository_ctx.symlink(
+            "/usr/local/opt/yaml-cpp/include/yaml-cpp",
+            "include/yaml-cpp",
+        )
+        repository_ctx.symlink(
+            Label(
+                "@drake//tools/workspace/yaml_cpp:package-macos.BUILD.bazel",
+            ),
+            "BUILD.bazel",
+        )
+    elif os_result.is_ubuntu:
+        repository_ctx.symlink("/usr/include/yaml-cpp", "include/yaml-cpp")
+        repository_ctx.symlink(
+            Label(
+                ("@drake//tools/workspace/yaml_cpp" +
+                 ":package-ubuntu-{}.BUILD.bazel").format(
+                    os_result.ubuntu_release,
+                ),
+            ),
+            "BUILD.bazel",
+        )
+    else:
+        fail("Operating system is NOT supported", attr = os_result)
+
+yaml_cpp_repository = repository_rule(
+    local = True,
+    configure = True,
+    implementation = _impl,
+)